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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618753">Checkups with Chopper</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordsdear/pseuds/Wordsdear'>Wordsdear</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, there is a bit of implied adult content but it is a misunderstanding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 19:13:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618753</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordsdear/pseuds/Wordsdear</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On Drum Island, the Straw Hats gained a Doctor and now it is time for their very first checkups. From the lack of a medical bay to the medical marvel that is Luffy’s rubber body, Doctor Chopper is in for one hell of an adventure.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Working out the kinks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was supposed to be for the Big Bang but it didn't end up working out so I will post chapters as I finish them here</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chopper’s hooves pounded against the deck as he chased Usopp’s back. It was hard to keep up on just two short legs, but changing now meant slowing down to think and he just didn’t have the time. Their covert mission had been a success. He could hear Sanji yelling swear words behind him, but it was all worth it. Clutched in his upper hooves was a piping hot potato. A whole potato just for him. Usopp was having much less success holding his hot potato, without the benefit of keratin his fleshy fingers couldn’t take the heat. </p><p>“And that my dear Chopper was the kitchen where the great and terrible Sanji resides. And that’s about it. The tour of the Merry is over. With that, you are officially a Straw Hat!” as Usopp finished speaking these wise words he shoved the whole potato in his mouth, cheese dripping down his face.</p><p>The tour of the ship had been a bit haphazard, Chopper was pretty sure being chased around by an angry chef was not part of the plan. But still he was a real actual pirate! A Doctor in his own right. The world was huge and he was going to see it all. There was something missing though, something important. He had to ask.</p><p>“So cool! Oh, but Usopp you forgot something!”</p><p>Usopp coughed, sticking out his tongue, holding the potato away from himself </p><p>“Hot hot too hot!!!” </p><p>He stopped, narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side as he continued to try and fail to eat his potato. The unspoken question hung in the air. So Chopper tried again.</p><p>“The most important part!! It has gotta be here somewhere, you saved it as a surprise for last! So funny Usopp!”</p><p>Usopp continued to chew his potato, mulling it over. He held up his greasy fingers and began to count them off, one at a time </p><p>“So I showed you the bathroom, that is important for sure. The men’s bedroom with your hammock, the cannons and storage. Next time, I’ll show you how to fire one! Nami’s room which we must never enter under pain of death and of course the kitchen. Not much else really.”</p><p>This had to have been Usopp’s greatest prank yet. Chopper let out a belly laugh.</p><p>“You forgot the infirmary, silly! I am your guys’ doctor after all. I need somewhere to treat my patients!”</p><p>Usopp gulped, swallowing the remains of the potato.</p><p>“Well…. you see the thing is...the problem, what you need to understand...”</p><p>Chopper’s mind drifted as Usopp went through his mental thesaurus. Chopper had always dreamed of having his own medical bay, for as long as he had known what a medical bay was. Using Doctorine’s was fine but it was her’s. Sure, he was allowed to organize things a little and have his own corner, but having his own filing system, a chair he didn’t have to adjust, and oh so many other things would be amazing.  Chopper shook his head trying to focus on the now. From the look of it, Usopp had finally figured out how to turn off the thought to speech filter so he tuned back in.</p><p>“Basically what I am trying to say is this. We kind of, at this time, do not exactly in the technical term posses a medical bay, in such and such terms”</p><p>“But I am your doctor! Am I supposed to operate on the kitchen table?” Chopper cried out</p><p>Usopp shrugged</p><p>“Sanji clears it off pretty well. And I am looking into this new cleaner that-”</p><p>Chopper ran away. His first chance to be a doctor out on his own, no Doctorine to swoop in and save the day,  and he picks the pirate ship that doesn’t have an infirmary. He had practiced a lot of surgeries but with actual medical equipment, not a fork and spoon. Oh, what had he gotten himself into. Luffy had asked him to join not even knowing he was a doctor, of course they did not have a medical bay. Stupid, stupid. Chopper brushed away the tears matting his fur. It was always a silly dream. A pirate doctor, what a joke. He was a reindeer. No human is going to want a hairy abomination treating them. Docorine had threatened to shave him every time she had to clean the hairs out of an incision after all. He knew she was joking but she was still right. A hairy Doctor was a health risk and without basic tools such as gloves, it was all for naught. Chopper stared up at the full moon and thought of the pink snow floating in the air as he left Drum Kingom. It seemed so much simpler then. Shut up and come. Well here he was and he did not know what he was supposed to do now. He just wanted to lie down and think.</p><p>Through the tears, it was kind of hard to remember what room was what. The guy’s bedroom had to be here somewhere. He tried the first door he saw, but hooves were not exactly ideal for opening doors. He fumbled with the door knob for a second, trying to use his weight to leverage a turn, but the keratin just scraped along the curved metal. He needed opposable thumbs. So with a sigh, Chopper popped into Heavy Point. With the help of opposable thumbs and bendable digits in general, he finally opened the door only to be greeted by what could only be described as an ominous bicycle. It was smack dab in the middle of the room and attached to the floor through  some kind of machine. Chopper closed his eyes (only a little in fear) trying to remember Usopp’s adventure tour pre potato raid.  Usopp had said something about a bicycle pump for  fresh water but this was just plain spooky. It looked battered, and Chopper noted the wheels were mising. It must be injured, dying.  Chopper stared cautiously at the pedals, avoiding looking at the handle bars. Just to be on the safe side. Looking an injured animal in the eyes could get your eyes clawed out. He only had a vague idea of what exactly a bicycle was. Some kind of pack mule? They never seemed to talk unlike the yaks the villagers used. He had seen one leaning meekly against a wall once or twice and knew some of the villagers used it from going from town to town. More often than not he was helping Doctorine treat someone who had taken a tumble off one on the icy road and sprained a hip. Bicycles sped across the icy tundra at breakneck speed but it came at a cost.  One night he had helped Doctorine try to piece together a fractured skull after someone fell on an especially stormy night.  Needless to say he had a healthy fear of bicycles. He remembered the large scar on Zoro’s chest and wondered if this bicycle had gotten him.  No wonder they had taken its wheels. </p><p>Backing slowly away from the bicycle, eyes still on the pedal looking for any trace of movement, he made it to the door and slammed it shut, The bicycle was contained, for now. Taking a deep breath, Chopper continued his hunt. What he was looking for he was not exactly sure. At first he had just planned on sulking in his bunk or maybe double check that Usopp had not gotten confused and forgot but now more and more he felt like it just was not meant to be. They were not that far from Sakura Kingdom. He could always swim…...ask them to drop him off. ‘Sorry for the misunderstanding, thought you wanted a doctor not a sideshow monkey’. Finally after wandering for a bit, he made his way to the men’s room. Luckily it was empty, he wasn’t sure how he could tell Luffy he was leaving. Luffy’s face was so easy to read and he didn’t want Luffy to frown at him. Or just laugh it off, switch him out for someone else. Who wants a stuffed doctor anyways. He was not really sure which bunk was his, the lower one? According to Usopp, it tended to switch as someone was always up and you just kind of laid down in an open bunk and hoped for the best. Ah, there was his backpack, if he grabbed that he could leave. Maybe if he ate a rumble ball he could jump point back to Sakura Kingdom. No one would even notice he was gone. He bent down to pick up the backpack but something thudded to the ground as he picked it up. It was a brown paper wrapped package with Doctorine’s  nearly unreadable scribble (Chopper could read it as he needed to fill prescriptions but he knew she made it messier then it needed to be just to mess with him).</p><p>“To my son Chopper, good luck. You are going to need this”</p><p>Inside were his trusted instruments. Scalpels, scissors, and sewing needles (for human flesh). It was all there. Pure alcohol (he made a mental note to hide it from Zoro), bleach, plastic gloves, and medications carefully labeled. A second note lay among the pill boxes  “Knowing those idiots you will also need these”  It wasn’t a fully supplied infirmary or anything, but it was the basics he could build on. He could do this.</p><p> “Huuunggzzzhhhhh!” </p><p>He jumped and looked at the hammock above him, inside was Luffy, nuzzled deep in the hammock only his hat just barely peeking out. Snoring away.  He let out another snort and kicked out a little. His eyes opened a tad, looking at Chopper blearly</p><p>“Hey Chopper whatcha doing?” Luffy’s gaze fell to the knapsack in Chopper’s hooves (Brain point just felt more comfortable he had changed from the moment he saw the bag) and suddenly all the sleep was gone from his eyes. Luffy jumped from the bed to sit at Chopper’s feet.</p><p>“Are you leaving?”</p><p>Chopper thought about ducking into a hammock and faking sleep walking. But it was 11am, no time for sleeping unless you were the captain or maybe Zoro. He had been napping on the deck. </p><p>“No. I mean yes. I was thinking about it but I...I changed my mind”</p><p>“Oh that’s good! If you left, who’d help me with my kinks?”</p><p>Chopper froze, he must of misheard him</p><p>“Your kinks?”</p><p>“Yeah I get them all the time, really annoying, I always need someone to help me get rid of them”</p><p>Chopper sighed</p><p>“Luffy it isn’t a Doctor who usually helps with that kind of thing. It is between two people who liked each other a lot and”</p><p>“Not the birds and bees! A kink! A leg kink!”</p><p>“You have a leg kink?”</p><p>Luffy huffed “My leg has a kink in it”</p><p>Chopper said something he was almost certain he was going to regret for the rest of his life (however long that might be) “Show me your kink”</p><p>Luffy pulled back his blanket. Chopper did not freeze up as he had seen  plenty of naked men before, except Luffy wasn’t naked. He was wearing the jean shorts he seemingly lived in but something was wrong. Just below the knee his leg twisted sharply and looped back on itself. His calf was beginning to turn purple and bubble. The blood flow was partially, if not completely cut off.</p><p>“Does it hurt?” A silly question but it just came out. Medical instincts run deep</p><p>Luffy laughed “I am a rubberman remember? So it just feels kinda normal. But I can’t walk on it as it just ploops”</p><p>“Ploops?”</p><p>Luffy hummed “It goes kerblam. I fall down and it is annoying. Especially because I can’t feel that anything is wrong. I only notice once I put weight on it”</p><p>“Luffy I know that you are rubber and things like bullets do not affect you. But you still have a physical sense right? You can feel things?“ Warning bells were going off, pain was a warning to the body. How was Luffy even alive?</p><p>Luffy leaned back and closed his eyes “Like if you punched me it wouldn’t hurt but I would still know you tried to punch me and that is rude unless we are fighting. That is what Gramps and Makino taught me anyways. For this though, it just kind of tingles a little.” </p><p> Chopper peered closer at the offending leg. At the top of the loop the skin was very thin, cinched tight .</p><p>“It does seem like the blood flow is cut off. Does this happen a lot?” Chopper paused changing into Heavy Point to cautiously poke the loop with his right hand, and it swayed but stayed looped. </p><p>Luffy answered</p><p>“It happened a lot when I was younger but now that I am used to being rubber it usually just when I am sleeping. Like if I move around too much or if I get too tangled up.”</p><p>For curiosity sake he had to ask and also because if he was going to be Luffy’s Doctor he needed to know  “When you were younger? How long have you had your fruit for?”</p><p>Luffy poked at his leg “Since I was six, it was super tricky at first”</p><p>Chopper could only imagine. Your entire body chemistry changed in an instant forever. Tricky indeed. But he could learn more about that later. He had a patient to help. </p><p>Chopper reached out and carefully undid the loop, bending Luffy’s leg in the opposite direction and watched as the colour instantly returned to it.</p><p>“I will make you some splints or something. I just need to do a bit of experimentation and research on rubber I guess”</p><p>“Experiments?! Make me a robot plllleaseeeee”</p><p>“No” </p><p>Luffy pouted </p><p>“No one ever makes me a robot”</p><p>Chopper laughed, maybe being a pirate doctor wouldn’t be so bad after all. </p><p>He wasn’t sure if he actually said that out loud or not but Luffy perked up anyways, the smile returning to its rightful place on his face,“So you are staying then? On the ship?”</p><p>In the very short time that Chopper had known Luffy, he had learned it was very hard to say no to him. Not that he took no for an answer anyways. But it was nice, trusting humans, loving them. Just like Dr Hirluk had said, the world was so much bigger than his troubles. </p><p>“I guess I could manage without an actual infirmary. I could make do, on the spot treatments and stuff like that”</p><p>Luffy clapped his feet together and cheered “I am so glad you are my Doctor, Chopper!”</p><p>Chopper’s chest ached and he knew it wasn’t heartburn.</p><p>“Bastard”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i had to edit it as I realized the water pump did not have wheels. Oops</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. First Patient</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chopper has his first official check up. The lucky first patient is Usopp and Chopper needs to catch up on his medical history</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am not a doctor and all of the medical knowledge in this fic is from google or dr stone.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was Chopper’s first appointment with a patient of his very own. Technically. Usually he just observed Doctorine from behind the curtain in her clinic,  but he had taken the lead with unconscious patients before, and those whose vision was fading or gone. There was no way, even in Heavy Point, that he could talk to a human patient that could see him without them screaming. Even shaving didn’t work. His face was just wrong, as one screaming patient had said before jumping out the window. Now no razors or falsehoods required, he was going to be a doctor in his own right. He had patients now, and also something he had not allowed himself to even dream of having, friends. Yet there was the fine line that Doctorine had hammered into him. Professionalism. Something he had never really thought he would have to worry about before. It was going to be hard making the mental distinction, between professionalism and friendship. As he was mulling this over, giving himself a headache, his first patient walked in.</p><p>Usopp had changed out of his winter get up and was now decked out  in dark green overalls with the cuffs rolled up revealing their white underside . He nodded at Chopper and took a seat on the couch beside him. It was time to lay down the ground rules. Chopper straightened up a little (as much as he could in Brain Point) and said</p><p>“ Just to start things off. As your doctor, anything you tell me here is confidential okay?”</p><p>There was a cough behind him, Sanji was arranging cookware</p><p>Chopper stood up on the couch his hooves sinking into the cushions “Sanji!! You said I could use the dining area!”</p><p>“Take it up with the Captain” Sanji answered dryly</p><p>Part of Chopper wanted to scream but instead he asked only with a bit of exasperation “Where is he?”</p><p>Sanji didn’t respond and instead held up his right leg in answer. Their captain had wound himself around said leg  and was currently gnawing at the cook’’s pant leg. Setting his leg down. Sanji turned back to his cookware and said</p><p>“You guys go ahead with playing doctor and just pretend I am not here” </p><p> </p><p>With a bit of a yelp Chopper called out  “But Sanji I really am a Doctor, I passed the exam and everything!”</p><p>Sanji just smiled as he turned the burner on “Whatever, just pretend Luffy and I aren’t here. No one cares if Usopp has Athlete’s Foot.”</p><p>Usopp yelled from across the room “Do not!”</p><p>Sanji laughed “I can smell it from here. Liar”</p><p>Usopp made as if to stand up “Nahuh!! I am just experimenting to see if I can weaponize the smell of unwashed socks!”</p><p>Chopper sighed, this was already a disaster but he could still save it</p><p>“Okay, so Usopp what I need from you is your medical history”</p><p>Usopp blinked at him</p><p>“That means any major illnesses, surgeries, or diseases in the family”</p><p>“The great captain Usopp has never fallen ill in his life! Bacteria cowers before his might! Many injuries but never a scar!”</p><p>Usopp stood on the couch and pointed to the sky. or well, ceiling. A medical marvel! Chopper would need to write a letter to Doctorine of the epic tale of the invincible Captain Usopp. If he could send blood work... as Usopp struck the oh so dramatic pose,  his blue and white armband slid down revealing a round off colour mark on his dark skin. Chopper recognized it not just from textbooks but also from looking at his own back in the mirror</p><p>“Usopp, is that a gunshot wound?”</p><p>Usopp hastily pulled down on the fabric and laughed “Didn’t you hear me? Never a scar” </p><p>Chopper sighed “Please don’t lie to me Usopp. I can’t help you if you lie to me” Usopp pouted and pulled the arm band down. It was a scar. Freshly healed from the looks of it, less than a month old. </p><p>Usopp opened his mouth to explain</p><p>“Okay, so this angry cat butler”</p><p>It wasn’t good to interrupt but Chopper couldn’t contain his curiosity</p><p>“ A Cat burglar?”</p><p>“No butler. But anyways so he was evil and Merry shot me-”</p><p>“You are saying the Going Merry shot you?” maybe Usopp’s lies were just delusions of the mind. </p><p>“No Merry the butler. The good one.”</p><p>“The good butler who wasn’t a boat or a cat?”</p><p>“Yep he is kind of sheepish though I guess”</p><p>Chopper was going to pretend that wasn’t literal because even as a talking reindeer he could only take so much. He was a doctor. A reindeer of science, of cold hard facts.</p><p>“Just tell me about the injury”</p><p>“Okay so I got shot straight through the arm and I thought I was gonna die for sure-”</p><p>Chopper by this time had made his way over to Usopp’s side of the couch and was looking over his arm. It looked more like a scar from a graze then straight through especially since there was no exit wound. He squeezed the arm feeling for the bullet or any shards. Nothing. No sign of infection.</p><p>“Sure. Anything else?”</p><p>“After the avalanche on Drum, I was all beat up for some reason so I have a few bruises”</p><p>“Take off your overalls”</p><p>Usopp glanced over at the cooking pair but Sanji was engrossed in keeping Luffy away from the cooking meat and Luffy was focused on the meat.</p><p>Usopp complied, peeling off the upper part of his overalls. Chopper began to poke and prod. There were some newer bruises forming with the distinct red colour but they were forming on top of older bruises, his chest was painted green and blue.</p><p>“Usopp, what have you been doing?”</p><p>“So there was this island of dinosaurs and a wax man-”</p><p>Chopper shook his head “Save the tall tales for later. I am your doctor, please don’t lie to me” He needed to set boundaries now and be firm.</p><p>“One T-Rex steak coming right up!”  Sanji called out. </p><p>Chopper stopped for a moment. The world really was a big place after all. So he corrected himself “Sorry Usopp. Okay, so besides stuff in the last few months. Do you know your family medical history?</p><p>“I never met my Dad so not really. My mom... she died when I was 12. From the most incurable of diseases” Usopp turned his face away from Chopper and dramatically whispered “Phenomia”</p><p>Chopper sighed, his first patient was being extra tricky “I already said, cut it with the lies Usopp. I know pnenomia is cureable, I am not stupid”</p><p>“But the Doctor said it was pneumonia!. He said there was nothing they could do, she died a few weeks later”</p><p>“Did they give her any antibiotics?”</p><p>“Antiwhat now?”</p><p>Chopper hopped off the couch and shook his head. This could not be right. “Antibiotics, they are medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. Any good doctor should know this!” Chopper stopped for a moment and thinking aloud added “ It does depend on the type of pneumonia</p><p>Usopp gulped, “We gave all the money we had to the doctor and he just said she had pneumonia and recommended leeches”</p><p>Chopper had worked with two different kinds of Doctors in his lifetime. First, Hirluk the self professed Quack who tried to cure a country but whose medical knowledge was limited to the eye of newt. Second Doctrine, learning actual medicine and how to save the body instead of  just the soul. Good intentions did not cure people. A mushroom taught him that. But he had been untrained, illiterate and truly desperate. This so-called Doctor had no such luxury, Patients trust Doctors, they do not have the medical knowledge to challenge or argue treatments. Blood letting only weakens the patient and can lead to infections. He opened his mouth  to rage against fake doctors everywhere but Usopp spoke first.</p><p>“He died last year. And he was nice, Even after we ran out of money he gave her free leechings right up until the end”</p><p>“FREE LEECHING!!” Chopper could only be so understanding. Leeches!! In this day and age, it was ridiculous. The anger in him was welling up, he resisted the urge to shift form. It was easier being angry in Heavy Point. He could clench his hands properly, smash something. Free leeches. If only the doctor had known. If only Chopper had been there, able to ask the right questions. Administer the proper tests and treatment. Too many ifs. Taking a deep breath, Chopper looked at Usopp again, properly this time. Usopp was looking anywhere but at Chopper, and Chopper thought maybe it was time for a different approach. It wasn’t a Doctor’s job to get angry at patients. To rail against the past was not scientific. Science was about moving forward, doing better next time. It was time to be a proper Doctor. So Chopper gave a small smile and said softly</p><p>“I am sorry about your Mother, Usopp. Do you want a lollipop?”</p><p>Usopp’s expression brightened and he sat up a little, “Really?”</p><p>“Really really”. Fishing into his medical bag he found a Doctor’s secret weapon for younger patients and sometimes for more nervous adults. The lollipop. A hard sugar candy in this case a deep red, stuck on a white stick. Doctrine had hidden a whole stash of them in the bag she had given Chopper. If he ran out he could always ask Sanji to make more. He wasn’t sure where Sanji sat on eating between meals so he stole a sidelong glance at the cook, who was busy flipping a steak. While he was distracted Chopper clamped the stick of the lollipop between his hooves and pulled it out of his bag. He held it out to Usopp, who smiled as he took it.</p><p>“Thanks Chopper!” with that Usopp ripped off the plastic wrap and popped the sucker in his mouth. Chopper stared at the other lollipops in his bag. They were just for patients. Not for a Doctor who wanted a sugar rush to feel better. Chopper mused aloud mostly to himself</p><p>“I want to become the panacea for the world. To be able to cure any disease. But even diseases that are supposed to be treatable can kill whether it be from lack of knowledge, lack of resources or lack of time. There is only one of me.  I think I will have to-”</p><p>“Change the world!” Luffy has appeared with his flip flops balancing precariously on the back of the couch. Their captain was in a half crouch, broadly smiling with a bit of steak clenched between his teeth which he promptly swallowed with a gulp.</p><p>“I don’t really get all the medical stuff, but if Chopper wants to see a pan or be a pan sea or whatever we’ll make sure he can!”</p><p>“I have some nice pans if you want to have a look, Chopper.” Sanji had wandered over and was standing behind the couch. </p><p>Chopper tried speaking slower this time “I want to be a panacea!”</p><p>Sanji nodded  “Ah a type of sea urchin. They taste best with a bit of lemon juice.”</p><p>Chopper sighed, this was a lost cause and he was pretty sure Sanji was just messing with him. Before he could point this out suddenly Luffy was beside him making grabby hands at Usopp.</p><p>“No fair why does Usopp get a sucker! So greedy! Gimme!” Usopp scrambled away from his Captain, falling off the sofa in the process and  bite down hard on the stick of his sucker and swallowed. Through his teeth he said “No way get your own!” and ran out of the room. Luffy turned his head towards Chopper glancing from Chopper to his bag and back again. A hungry Luffy was dangerous and Luffy was always hungry. As a Doctor and as a pirate he only had one course of action. Always forward.</p><p>“Don’t worry Luffy, your my next patient and I have a sucker here with your name on it”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Pressure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Luffy finally gets his first appointment with Chopper and almost gives him a heart attack. Set before Enies Lobby but is best read after as it contains some minor spoilers for move sets. Made some minor corrections/changes</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The time had finally arrived. His Captain had come to collect. He has kept putting it off. First in the rush to Alabasta, then they had fought a God. There just had not been any time. But Luffy never forgot about food. Chopper had promised him a lollipop...appointment and it was time to deliver. It was just the first of many routine checkups. Nothing fancy. And yet Chopper could not help but feel a little nervous. He was not sure how seriously Luffy would take it. Better to start simple, ease him into it. Chopper had made sure to shoo Sanji out and had even aired out the room trying to make sure there were no distracting food smells. Oh how he dreamed of an infirmary and not having his appointments in the kitchen.</p><p>“Luffy you can sit here” Chopper patted the seat on the couch beside him. He had made a point to change into Heavy Point before Luffy had come in. Less distraction so Luffy didn’t end up oohing and ahhing over transformations. Luffy flopped down on the couch besides him and it was a tad cramped. Luffy’s rubbery skin against the fur on his arms. It felt a little weird. Like his fur was going to start standing on end. It made him think of Enel but but sweaty. Luffy looked over at Chopper eagerly and said.</p><p>“The big form! I like this one the best! No wait, the one with the horns is the coolest! Hmmmm this is hard, so many choices.” Luffy put his left hand to his chin tilting his head and hummed.  Then just as quickly he dropped his hand and asked “So when do you shove the needle in my butt?”</p><p>Chopper could not help but laugh. “What? I would only do that if I wanted to spread something into your bloodstream really quickly and  intra-muscular injections are not super common anyways”</p><p>Luffy sighed with relief “Okay good” Chopper was curious though and asked further</p><p>“Who told you that I would shove a needle in your butt? I am guessing Usopp?” </p><p>Luffy shook his head and said “Just my older brother. Oh what does this do!” He must mean Ace. The polite man who they had seen so briefly in Alabasta. Before he could ask further, Luffy reached out and grabbed the stethoscope off the table.</p><p> </p><p>“Luffy don’t touch that!” Or actually if he could distract him it might be worth it. As he was mulling this over Luffy began to chew on the metal end of the stethoscope</p><p>“Don’t chew on that end. Put the other end in your ears”</p><p>After a bit of turning around Luffy managed it.</p><p>“Now wait a sec” Chopper pulled off his stretchy striped shirt  and Luffy immediately began to pull at the buttons on his vest. Chopper raised a hand</p><p>“No no Luffy, keep your shirt on” </p><p>“Awww I thought we were gonna have a no shirt party” Chopper was quickly learning that not asking was the best policy. </p><p>Chopper took the metal end and placed it in the middle of his chest slightly to the left. </p><p>“Hear that? That is my heart beat”</p><p>Luffy oohed “Do me! Do me!”</p><p>Chopper moved the stethoscope end to Luffy’s chest.</p><p>For a moment Luffy was silent, listening to the pounding in his chest. This was his chance. Get started before Luffy got too distracted. </p><p>“Have there been any major illnesses, surgeries, or diseases in your family?”</p><p>Luffy gave him a bit of a look that Chopper was not sure how to take, it only lasted a fraction of a second before Luffy smiled again. Maybe he was just annoyed that he had interrupted him listening to his heart beat. Chopper did not have much time to wonder about it as Luffy finally answered</p><p>“My Grampa is super healthy. He is the only family I really got.”</p><p>“How old is he?” Grandparents were a bit of a glimpse into a possible future for patients. Or at least a rough idea of what to expect.</p><p>“He is 76 now I think. I haven’t seen him in a few years but he's definitely still out there. He is scary strong.  He has a scar by his eye but I dunno how he got it” Luffy stopped and touched his own scar. “Wait I have a scar by my left eye too! They must be contagious!!”</p><p>Chopper did not feel like arguing with that logic (he was more impressed that Luffy knew the word contagious than anything) but he could not resist asking “How did you get your scar Luffy?”</p><p>“I stabbed myself in the face”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I wanted to show how brave I was”</p><p>Brave or stupid. Chopper did not say it aloud though as it seemed a little too mean. Instead he thought he might ask a few follow up questions.</p><p>“You said you have no other family, but I have met Ace. He is your older brother”</p><p>“Oh yeah” Luffy stopped and stared at Chopper then smiled “He is my brother but he has a different Dad”</p><p>“Oh so the same mother?”</p><p>“Nah”</p><p>Chopper nodded. Dr Hirluk was his father even if he was human and Chopper was a reindeer. He would not press.</p><p>“But your mother and father. Do you know anything about them?”  he asked as the cause of death if by natural causes could give potential detail into Luffy’s own health. </p><p>“Grampa never talked about them” Luffy said it matter of factly as if it was a simple fact of the universe.  There was no further detail to gain so Chopper moved on. </p><p>“How old were you when you ate your devil fruit?” he asked out of curiosity rather then any medical necessity.</p><p>“When I was seven. It tasted awful.” Luffy said and stuck out his tongue for good measure..</p><p>Curiosity satisfied, Chopper continued “Have there been any times when you got really sick?”</p><p>“I’ve never been sick”</p><p>“Not even a cold?”</p><p>“Nope. My Grampa says idiots can’t catch colds” Now this was something worth studying. Could a lack of brain power mean that the energy was directed towards other parts of the body? It was worth a shot. It was time to get some base readings so he could compare them later. He was not going to get any more answers about Luffy’s medical history it seemed.</p><p>“Okay now Luffy this is the really tricky part. You gotta stay still for 15 minutes”</p><p>Luffy just stared at him </p><p>“Okay how about five?”</p><p>Luffy smiled “When do I get my lollipop?” </p><p>“Afterwards I promise. Now if you keep quiet for the next few minutes I will give you two whole lollipops” Chopper reached down under the couch to grab his medical bag. He pulled out the inflated cuff and instructed Luffy to hold out his left arm, the arm closest to him. He carefully wrapped the cuff around Luffy’s arm just above the elbow and began to pump, slowly inflating it. “There is going to be a little bit of tightness”. It would take a few minutes to get a proper reading so he thought it might be nice to talk to his new captain for a little bit.  <br/>“I never thought I would actually do this you know. Be a Doctor with actual patients. I thought Doctorine was having a laugh. I mean a reindeer doctor really? But since I met you guys, suddenly it all seems possible. I might not be super experienced but I will try my best. After all the stuff on Sky Island and Alabasta, you guys really made sure as a Doctor I was never bored. Thank you for having me Luffy.” His captain grinned at him with the smile he had long since accepted as normal. Gigantic taking up his whole face, his eyes half crescents. They sat for another minute in silence. Luffy really wanted those lollipops. </p><p>Chopper pulled up the dial and looked at the reading.  It seemed a little off. The systolic pressure (blood pumping out of the heart) was at 90 while the diastolic pressure (how long the heart took to fill with blood) was at 60. Not super worrying but enough that he might have to check again later and make sure Luffy had not eaten anything recently. Being a Doctor was a lot harder than he thought. A hungry Luffy was a dangerous Luffy.</p><p>“What wrong?” Luffy was peering at his face, frowning a little.  </p><p>“Nothing. Your blood pressure is just a little low that is all. But it is pretty normal”</p><p>“Too low? Don’t worry I can fix that” Luffy stood up from the couch with the cuff dangling from his arm and slammed his right arm against the floor. The wood splinted and Chopper flinched. Usopp was not going to be happy, and picking the splinters out of Luffy’s hand was not something he exactly relished doing. Usually it was Zoro getting self-inflicted injuries, namely popping stitches by working out. He opened his mouth to complain or ask what the hell Luffy thought he was doing but Luffy was already standing up. His skin seemed redder, shiner ever. Luffy turned to him and held out his arm.</p><p>“Try it again” </p><p>Chopper reseated Luffy and applied the cuff again and began to pump. They spent the minutes in silence as Chopper saw the needle on the dial rise. Systolic pressure was at 160 and still climbing, Diastolic pressure was 100. This wasn’t looking good, it was all happening too fast. He whacked Luffy’s head and ignoring the usually comedic bobble, said “Whatever you are doing, stop it right now” Luffy pouted at him but his skin lost the reddish tinge and the numbers began to drop down.</p><p>He asked urgently “Luffy, what was that?”</p><p>Luffy hummed and said “I realized I can kind of control the blood in my body. Like the stuff it runs through and my heart. They are all also rubber so I kind of just give them a bounce and they go faster. Isn’t it cool!”</p><p>Luffy stared at Chopper expectantly but Chopper could only stare at him in horror.</p><p>“Luffy, high blood pressure can be dangerous. You could have a stroke.” Luffy blinked at him so he added “You could die”</p><p>“Awww I thought it would be good, like for fights so I could go faster!”</p><p>“If you stay in that state too long it could take years off your life. Promise me you will not do it again” Luffy looked away and began to whistle “Look at me Luffy” He turned his head and looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “As your Doctor it is my job to look after your health. You can not go risking it over some cool trick”</p><p>Luffy turned to face Chopper properly, his face serious “It isn’t some cool trick. And I am not taking it lightly either. I need to get stronger”</p><p>Chopper wanted to argue but Luffy’s face said otherwise. So he tried something else instead. “We can not lose you Luffy”</p><p>Luffy nodded as if he understood and maybe he did “So can I have my lollipops now?” His captain had a one track mind.</p><p>“Since you almost gave me a heart attack, you only get one”</p><p>“Noooooo faaaiiiiirrrrrrrrrrr”</p><p>“You can have the second one if you promise that you won’t use that trick for longer then five minutes at a time”</p><p>“Deal!” Chopper bent down to grab his lollipops and wondered if he would live to regret this deal. Your patient’s health was not something that was supposed to be bargained over. Doctor’s set rules and expected them to be followed. Maybe he had more to learn after all. He would keep his eye on Luffy and if he did take it too far he would just knock him out or something. Everything was going to be fine.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am not a medical professional, I just googled blood pressure levels and I apologize for any errors. </p><p>Gear 2 is wild and Luffy needs to be stopped at all costs.</p>
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